Life Vest

ABSTRACT

A vest having front and rear members made of rigid or semi-rigid material where each member has recesses for receiving a user&#39;s head and both arms. Left and right shoulder pads are located between and attached to both members on each side of the recess for receiving the user&#39;s head with pivotably connecting members, and side access panels are located between and removably attached to both members below the left and right recesses for a user&#39;s arms with pivotably connecting members which prevent the shoulder pads and the side access panels from being displaced laterally from the front and rear members when the vest is subjected to a compression load. A lift harness is integrated into the front and rear members and a lift ring, which is permanently connected to the lift harness, is removably connected to a rescue rope that has distance markings thereon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a vest having front and rear members made of rigid or semi-rigid material where each member has recesses for receiving a user's head and both arms. Left and right shoulder pads are located between and attached to both members on each side of the recess for receiving the user's head with pivotably connecting members, and side access panels are located between and removably attached to both members below the left and right recesses for a user's arms with pivotably connecting members which prevent the shoulder pads and the side access panels from being displaced laterally from the front and rear members when the vest is subjected to a compression load. A lift harness is integrated into the front and rear members and a lift ring, which is permanently connected to the lift harness, is removably connected to a rescue rope that has distance markings thereon.

2. Description of Related Art

Vests for protecting a person from the harmful effects of an externally applied force is known in the prior art. More specifically, by way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,080,411 to Kerr discloses a protective vest having a body with arm holes, an internal surface and an external surface, and a front that is adapted to be adjacent to a wearer's chest and stomach, sides that are adapted to be adjacent to the wearer's sides, a back that is adapted to be adjacent to the wearer's back, and a pair of shoulders that are above the wearer's shoulders. The garment further includes penetration resistant armor located under the external surface of the vest and an inflatable flotation bladder in the form of a bag between the inner surface of the vest and the penetration resistant armor.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,738 to Sidebottom discloses a load-bearing protective vest adapted to selectively carry detachable elements such as supply receptacles and other auxiliary items. The vest is in the form of a unitary member having a front panel, a rear panel and a central panel interconnecting the front and rear panels. Each panel has at least a first inner layer of durable abrasion-resistant material for positioning against the body of a user and a second outer layer of durable abrasion-resistant material. The central panel defines a center opening sized and shaped for receiving a human head there through and a pair of shoulder support straps disposed on each side of the center opening adapted to support a load imposed by the vest during use thereof. A layer of attachment fabric in the form of hook-and-loop type fastening members covers a substantial portion of the outer surface of the second outer layer material of each of the front and rear panels and the detachable elements carry complementary hook-and-loop type fastening members. The front panel has a first interior compartment between the first and second layers of material which is accessible through a first vest opening. The rear panel similarly has a second interior compartment between the first and second layers of material which is accessible through a second vest opening. A plurality of individual pouches are secured within the first compartment and are accessible through the first vest opening, and a plurality of individual pouches are likewise secured within the second compartment and are accessible through the second vest opening. The pouches in the first and second compartments are sized and shaped for selectively receiving assorted ballistic-resistant body armor elements for providing ballistic protection to a user of the vest.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,978,961 to Barker discloses a rigid safety-vest structure intended for general use in hazardous-construction environments, such as encountered by trench and tunnel workers during a sudden cave-in which can result in suffocation by preventing the trapped worker from breathing. The vest disclosed is a light-weight aerated upper-torso safety-vest within which an earthen immobilized worker can maintain vital breathing action while being rescued. The vest includes a three-paneled frontally opening made with an interlaced metal truss-structure, preferably enveloped in a bright-colored aerating nylon-fabric; plus a generic-variant embodiment, formed of inner and outer rigid-skins separated by a rigid foam-core interior. All iterations employ a comfortably flexile shoulder suspension arrangement, and may be provided with optional backside rollers, enabling a worker to more easily scoot beneath an overhanging ledge or vehicle.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,349,893 to Dunn relates to an armor structure through the utilization of at least one panel capable of absorbing kinetic energy. The panel comprises a rigid structure having a multiplicity of joined polygonal cells having 3 to 8 sides throughout the panel. The cells have individual cell diameters of about 0.1 to 8.0 inches.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,680,812 to Weigl discloses a plurality of plates placed in overlapping relationship in an elongated array extending along the spinal column or other body area to be protected. The plates are pivotally interconnected by joints which allow relative rotation to a limited extent between the plates and limited longitudinal movement between the plates so that the armor structure conforms to body changes during normal movements. Overextension is prevented by abutment of the plates against each other, limiting harmful movement of the protected body portions. An arrangement particularly adapted for protecting the spinal column is disclosed.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,183 to Landi, et al. discloses a protective body shield including a honeycomb core arranged with the axis of each cell perpendicular to the body of the wearer and a layer of resilient foam covering at least that side of the shield in contact with the body to produce a shield that is rigid and shock-absorbing in the direction of anticipated impacts, but flexible and yieldable in other directions so as to not interfere with movement of the wearer's body.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,991,421 to Stratten discloses a plurality of interlocking reinforced barrel shaped plastic torso fitting embers having a transparent vented plastic head piece threadedly connected thereto. The torso members are suspended and attached to the wearer by adjustable strapping. Compliant material is used intermediate the shock resisting members and the wearer to help position the armor on the wearer and to attenuate the transmission of blast shock waves from the armor to the wearer. The openings in the armor, to accommodate the wearer's appendages, are hermetically sealed by a lining made of rubber material. Air for breathing is brought into the helmet and exhausted there from by intake and exhaust check-valves which are actuated by the wearer's normal breathing.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,561 to Winiecki discloses a protector for motorcycle riders of generally a jacket type that includes a rigid vest with interlocking front and back plates which are hinged together along one side edge and are latched together on an opening side edge. A collar is integral with and extends from the upper portions of the front and back plates and a rigid skirt with leg openings and hinged along one edge and latched upon another edge is attached to the lower portions of the front and back plates. A two-pieced halo of tubing is attached to the rear plate and extends over the collar. Padding means which is optionally inflatable for size adjustments is attached to at least interior portions of the vest, skirt, and collar.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,100,217 to Panzenbock, et al. discloses an upper body protector configured to protect a person from compression trauma. The protector is formed with rigid protection elements and shoulder straps on the protection elements where the shoulder straps and the protection elements together form at least two cage elements of fiber-reinforced plastic material to provide protection against compression of the upper body. The cage element are formed with at least one tubular body consisting of a fiber-reinforced plastic material, especially a carbon fiber reinforced plastic material.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,667 to Harrison discloses a protective vest for use by motorcycle riders, etc. which has an integral inner vest of cushioned material such as foam having a vertical opening at the front portion thereof and a pair of arm openings allowing it to be donned by a wearer. A lowermost circumferential armor plate of hardened plastic, for example, extends from the vertical opening 360 degrees around the wearer and vertically from the lowermost portion of the vest upwardly a distance which terminates at the middle portion of the vest. The hardened armor plate is bonded, for example, directly to the innermost foam vest. A pair of bilaterally symmetrical hardened plates extend from the mid portion of the vest upwardly over the shoulder of the vest and downwardly onto the back portion thereof forming a pair of bilaterally symmetric continuous armor plated panels separate from the lowermost panel and from each other. A hingedly attached front plate is affixed to the lowermost portion of the vest and is securely fastened by means of a web belt type connection. An enlarged annular raised portion surrounds the neck of the wearer and can be integral with the foam vest. A pair of spaced apart bilaterally symmetrical shoulder plates are movably attached to the vest body by means of webbing and provides the straps for securing the shoulder pads to the arms of the wearer for movement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is disclosed a compression resistant vest for protecting a person from compression forces when entrapped by loose, semi-loose or shifting grain in a silo comprising:

a front member of compression resistant material having a recess for receiving a head and neck of a user and left and right recesses for receiving left and right arms of a user, the front member being adapted to be located on the front of a person's body;

a back member of compression resistant material having a recess for receiving a head and neck of a user and left and right recesses for receiving left and right arms of a user, the back member being adapted to be located on the back of a person's body;

left and right shoulder pads located between and attached to the front and back members on each side of the recess for receiving the head and neck of a user with pivotably connecting members; and

side access panels located between and removably attached to one of the front and back members below the left and right recesses for receiving a user's left and right arms with pivotably connecting members;

wherein the pivotably connecting members are adapted to prevent the shoulder pads and the side access panels from being displaced laterally from the front and rear members when the vest is subjected to a compression load.

The foregoing has outlined, rather broadly, the preferred feature of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and specific embodiment as a basis for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention and that such other structures do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description, the appended claim, and the accompanying drawings in which similar elements are given similar reference numerals.

FIG. 1 is a three-quarter front view of an embodiment of an upper body vest type of protector on a person's body including a phantom outline of a person for reference as to the arrangement employed when being used while working in a grain elevator in accordance with the principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a tongue and groove type of pivotable connecting member; and

FIG. 3 is as top view of a hinge type of pivotable connecting member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A worker, while working in a grain silo may experience an accident, where he is entrapped by loose, semi-loose and/or shifting grain which envelops and surrounds his upper body from his diaphragm to his arms and possibly immobilizes his arms. For example, as the worker falls deeper into the grain or the worker is standing on a solid base and grain which is falling into the silo rises and surrounds the worker's upper torso including his diaphragm, chest and back area, the grain pressing on the workers chest and back will force him to exhale and prevent him from taking either another breath or a deep breath. If, however, the worker can still breathe by taking small shallow breaths, each time he exhales loose grain will fall into the newly created space to slowly prevent the worker's chest and stomach from again expanding. The pressure of the loose grain on the worker's stomach, chest and back will prevent him from breathing and calling out for help, and this is so even when the workers face including his mouth and nose is not covered by the grain. Thus, even thou the trapped worker will appear to arriving rescue workers that he is safe from suffocation, he is not able to breathe and is slowly being suffocated.

The invention here disclosed is a vest which, when worn by a person working in a silo will protect the worker's body, from his diaphragm to his shoulders, from compression forces in the event that he is entrapped by grain. The vest is as light as possible without limiting the wearer's movements while he is performing normal work related chores.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is disclosed a three-quarter front view of an embodiment of an upper body vest type of protector on a person's body, including a phantom outline of a person as reference to the arrangement employed when being used while working in a grain elevator in accordance with the principles of the invention.

The upper body vest type of protector can be used by, for example, workers in a grain silo. The vest 10 consists of body panels which are made of a light weight metal such as aluminum, a plastic such as polycarbonate or acrylic, or a fiber reinforced plastic laminate where the inner and outer layers are of Kevlar and an inner core is of a rigid or semi-rigid material. The compression resistant vest 10 consists of a rigid or semi-rigid front member 12 which is contoured to be comfortably worn by a worker and may be made in various sizes such as small, medium and large.

The rigid or semi-rigid front member 12 includes a right arm opening 14, a left arm opening 16 and a neck opening 18. Located between the right arm opening and the neck opening is a right shoulder pad connection projecting member 20 which terminates at a location which is below the top of a user's shoulder. In a similar arrangement, located between the left arm opening and the neck opening is a left shoulder pad connection projecting member 22 which terminates at a location which is below the top of a user's left shoulder. The lower ends 24 of the right and left arm opening 14, 16 are spaced from the bottom edge 26 of the rigid or semi-rigid front member 12 by a substantially straight edge 32. The bottom edge 26 of the front member terminates at a location that is proximate at a user's hips.

A rigid or semi-rigid rear member of the compression resistant vest is substantially similar to the front member 12 with a possible difference that the neck opening can be more shallow.

In one embodiment of the invention the front and rear members of the vest can each be of rigid material.

In another embodiment of the invention the front and rear members of the vest can each be of semi-rigid material.

In another embodiment of the invention the front member of the vest can each be of semi-rigid material and the rear member can be of rigid material.

Located between the right shoulder pad connective projecting member 20 of the front member 12 and the corresponding right shoulder pad connective projecting member of the rear member is shoulder pad 28. In a similar manner, located between the left shoulder pad connective projecting member 22 of the front member 12 and the corresponding left shoulder pad connective projecting member of the rear member is shoulder pad 30.

The left and right shoulder pads are joined to the front and rear members with pivotable connecting members such as hinges which will prevent the shoulder pads from being displaced laterally from the front and rear members when the vest is subjected to a compression load.

Looking at FIGS. 2 and 3, there are shown two types of pivotable connecting members which can be used to connect the shoulder pads to the front and rear members. FIG. 2 shows a tongue and groove type of pivotable connecting member where shoulder pad 30 is configured to have a tongue member at an edge which pivotally engages a groove located on the end of right shoulder pad connective projecting member. Straps, clamps, etc., not shown, can be attached to the shoulder pad and the shoulder pad connective projecting member to insure that the tongue member engages the groove under load conditions. FIG. 3 shows a pivotable connecting member having a hinge pin which pivotally connects at least two end projections on the shoulder pad 30 with at least one intermediate projection on the end of the shoulder pad connective projecting member.

Referring to FIG. 1, side access panels 34 of rigid or semi-rigid material are pivotally connected to the straight edges 32 on the left and right sides of the front and rear members with a connecting member such as a pivotable connecting member shown in FIG. 2 or 3.

Looking at FIG. 1, it is noted that side access panels 34 can be detached from either the front or rear member to allow a user to don and doff the compression resistant vest. This is different from the shoulder pads 30 which are not detachable from the front and rear members.

A lift harness, which is attached to and is an integral part of the front and rear members, includes a left lift strap 36 and a right lift strap 38. Right strap 38, which has an eye portion at one end extends from below a lower edge of the front member up along the right side of the front member to the top of the right shoulder pad connective projecting member, around the shoulder pad 30, and down along the right side of the rear member, and past the lower edge of the rear member where the strap terminates with a snap hook that is adapted to engage the eye portion. Left strap 36 traces a similar path along the left side of the compression resistant vest. A cross strap 40 can be provided on the front and rear members to insure that the straps maintain their desired positions.

A lift ring 42 which is located at the top of each shoulder pad is permanently and securely attached to the straps of the lift harness.

A worker, prior to entering a possible entrapment area in a grain silo, places his head and arms through the head and arm openings in the compression resistant vest, secures the side access panels to lock the rigid or semi-rigid front and rear members together and then, after positioning the left and right straps around his legs, attaches the snap hooks to the eye portions at the ends of the left and right straps of the lift harness. With the compression resistant vest comfortable located on the body of the user, and prior to entering a possible entrapment area, the user attaches a rescue rope having distance marks such as color coded designations or marks in feet to at least one of the lift rings. The color coded rescue rope provides fall protection and lifting capability for rescuers. The colored indicators or feet designation on the rescue rope are used to indicate to rescuers the depth of an entrapped victim, thus allowing the rescuers to plan how to best execute a safe recovery.

It is here noted that as a worker enters a grain silo and before he starts to work, he securely attaches the free end of the rescue rope to a non-movable structural member which will limit the distance that he can fall and, in the event of a fall, will clearly and rapidly indicate to rescuers the exact location of the fallen worker.

The compression resistant vest has front and rear members of rigid or semi-rigid material that allows for normal breathing when the user is immersed in grain by providing a vest that transfers the entrapment forces of the grain around the user rather than against the user. The vest includes a fall harness which is an integral part of the vest and at least two lift rings which are permanently attached to the fall harness to provide at least two different lifting locations on the vest. The lift harness encircles the user's body to prevent the user from slipping out of the bottom of the vest when being pulled or lifted from a trapped condition and, at the same time secures the vest to the user with optimal comfort. The rescue rope which is color coded or has feet designations is removably attached at one end to at least one lift ring and, when in use, the other end of the rescue rope is securely attached to a fixed structural member. The markings on the rescue rope provide a quick and accurate indication of the location and depth of a trapped worker to a rescue team.

The compression resistant vest of rigid or semi-rigid material provides a gap between a trapped user and the entrapment material to allow the user's chest and abdomen to expand and contract which is required for breathing. Without the vest the entrapment material would close in around the user when he exhales, and this pressure would not allow the user to inhale because there would not be any room for his chest or upper abdomen to expand.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention and not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments discussed were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are entitled. 

1. A compression resistant vest for protecting a person from compression forces when entrapped by loose, semi-loose or shifting grain in a silo comprising: a front member of compression resistant material having a recess for receiving a head and neck of a user and left and right recesses for receiving left and right arms of a user, said front member being adapted to be located on the front of a person's body; a back member of compression resistant material having a recess for receiving a head and neck of a user and left and right recesses for receiving left and right arms of a user, said back member being adapted to be located on the back of a person's body; left and right shoulder pads located between and attached to said front and back members on each side of said recess for receiving said head and neck of a user with pivotably connecting members; and side access panels located between and removably attached to one of said front and back members below said left and right recesses for receiving a user's left and right arms with pivotably connecting members; wherein said pivotably connecting members are adapted to prevent the shoulder pads and the side access panels from being displaced laterally from the front and rear members when the vest is subjected to a compression load.
 2. The compression resistant vest of claim 1 wherein said left and right shoulder pads are non-removably attached to said front and back members.
 3. The compression resistant vest of claim 2 wherein said front member is made of rigid material.
 4. The compression resistant vest of claim 2 wherein said front member is made of semi-rigid material.
 5. The compression resistant vest of claim 3 wherein said back member is made of rigid or semi-rigid material.
 6. The compression resistant vest of claim 2 wherein said side access panels are removably attached to said front member.
 7. The compression resistant vest of claim 2 where said side access panels are removably attached to said back member.
 8. The compression resistant vest of claim 2 wherein a lift harness is integrated into said left and right members.
 9. The compression resistant vest of claim 8 wherein said lift harness is integrated into said shoulder pads.
 10. The compression resistant vest of claim 8 wherein at least one lift ring is attached to said lift harness.
 11. The compression resistant vest of claim 10 wherein said lift harness is adapted to be located about a user to prevent the user from slipping out the bottom of the vest when being pulled or lifted out of entrapment in a grain silo by the lift harness.
 12. The compression resistant vest of claim 10 wherein one end of a rescue rope is attached to at least one of said lift rings.
 13. The compression resistant vest of claim 12 wherein said rescue rope is color coded.
 14. The compression resistant vest of claim 12 wherein said rescue rope has feet designations marked thereon.
 15. The compression resistant vest of claim 12 wherein said rescue rope is removably attached to said at least one of said lift rings.
 16. The compression resistant vest of claim 2 wherein each of said pivotably connecting members has a tongue which pivotally engages a groove.
 17. The compression resistant vest of claim 2 wherein each of said pivotably connecting members has a hinge pin which pivotally connects at least two end projection with at least one intermediate projection.
 18. The compression resistant vest of claim 2 wherein the various parts are made of polycarbonate.
 19. The compression resistant vest of claim 2 wherein the various parts are made of a laminate. 